| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Now one day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up | 1One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. |
| 2and said to him, "Tell us: By what authority are you doing these things? Or who it is who gave you this authority?" | 2They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” |
| 3He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: | 3 “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. |
| 4John's baptism--was it from heaven or from people?" | 4 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” |
| 5So they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?' | 5They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. |
| 6But if we say, 'From people,' all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet." | 6But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” |
| 7So they replied that they did not know where it came from. | 7So they finally replied that they didn’t know. |
| 8Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by whose authority I do these things." | 8And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” Parable of the Evil Farmers |
| 9Then he began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time. | 9Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. |
| 10When harvest time came, he sent a slave to the tenants so that they would give him his portion of the crop. However, the tenants beat his slave and sent him away empty-handed. | 10 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. |
| 11So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed. | 11 So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. |
| 12So he sent still a third. They even wounded this one, and threw him out. | 12 A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away. |
| 13Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I will send my one dear son; perhaps they will respect him.' | 13 “‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’ |
| 14But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, 'This is the heir; let's kill him so the inheritance will be ours!' | 14 “But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ |
| 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? | 15 So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked. |
| 16He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never happen!" | 16 “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.” “How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested. |
| 17But Jesus looked straight at them and said, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'? | 17Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ |
| 18Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed." | 18 Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.” |
| 19Then the experts in the law and the chief priests wanted to arrest him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. | 19The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Taxes for Caesar |
| 20Then they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They wanted to take advantage of what he might say so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. | 20Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. |
| 21Thus they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. | 21“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. |
| 22Is it right for us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar or not?" | 22Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” |
| 23But Jesus perceived their deceit and said to them, | 23He saw through their trickery and said, |
| 24"Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?" They said, "Caesar's." | 24 “Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. |
| 25So he said to them, "Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." | 25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” |
| 26Thus they were unable in the presence of the people to trap him with his own words. And stunned by his answer, they fell silent. | 26So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent. Discussion about Resurrection |
| 27Now some Sadducees (who contend that there is no resurrection) came to him. | 27Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. |
| 28They asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother. | 28They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. |
| 29Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died without children. | 29Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. |
| 30The second | 30So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. |
| 31and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children. | 31Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. |
| 32Finally the woman died too. | 32Finally, the woman also died. |
| 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her." | 33So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!” |
| 34So Jesus said to them, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. | 34Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. |
| 35But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. | 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. |
| 36In fact, they can no longer die, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection. | 36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection. |
| 37But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. | 37 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ |
| 38Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him." | 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.” |
| 39Then some of the experts in the law answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well!" | 39“Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. |
| 40For they did not dare any longer to ask him anything. | 40And then no one dared to ask him any more questions. Whose Son Is the Messiah? |
| 41But he said to them, "How is it that they say that the Christ is David's son? | 41Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? |
| 42For David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand, | 42 For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand |
| 43until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."' | 43 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.’ |
| 44If David then calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" | 44 Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” |
| 45As all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, | 45Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, |
| 46"Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. | 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. |
| 47They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment." | 47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.” |
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